Ted Forrest and Poker Host win the NBC National Heads-up Championship.

It starts with 64 of the world’s best professional poker players and ends 3 days later with one winner. What is it? The NBC National Heads-up Championship! The players are divided into 4 groups correlating with the suits in a deck of cards with 6 rounds of heads up play, win 6 matches and you’re the winner. Players are matched randomly in the first round and from there are eliminated in a college basketball type bracket structure. Advance to round two by eliminating your first round opponent; your next opponent is configured by the brackets ultimately coming to one person for each suit group. Red suits play each other, i.e. diamonds vs. hearts and black suits also. These two winners will battle it out at the final heads-up match, best 2 out of 3 and the winner will be crowned the champion and receive half a million dollars for his or her troubles.

Ted Forrest did just that this past Monday night; Ted beat every opponent in all his match ups. Ironically enough last years 2nd place finisher is also this years, Chris Ferguson. “After his victory, Ted Forrest immediately gave a shout out to his daughter Kristin and his sponsor, PokerHost.com.” Ted beat Erik Seidel, Chad Brown, Ernie Dureck, Sammy Farha (the longest match in NBC’s history at 3 ½ hours) and finally Sean Sheikhan to sit at the Championship match with Chris Ferguson. It’s the best two out of three and Chris Ferguson takes the first match, Ted takes down matches no. 2 and 3 taking the title and $500,000.

In the past year or so Ted Forrest has become a main player in the tournament circuit all over the airwaves. A peek at Ted’s tournament resume will reveal 5 WSOP bracelets, 3 of these in one year. All five of these bracelets are in different games of poker, from 7 card stud, Omaha 8 or better even 7 card razz, a feat no other player can claim. Not only is he a great tourney player, Ted is feared at the up and coming high stakes cash games, intimidating opponents just by joining the game. He was voted Best All Around Player at the L.A. Poker Classic, 46th on all time WSOP winners list and 25th on WPT all time list. This same event last year Ted finished 9th, this year’s NBC Heads-up he finishes 1st sponsored by Poker Host he finishes with the Championship title.